Cutting Edge

Title

FRC offering first online childbirth class in the state - Archived

Date

07/11/2012

Article

The CAMC Family Resource Center (FRC) has been offering childbirth classes for many years. It started in the late 90s when five consecutive evening classes were offered in both Charleston and Teays Valley.

“Then in early 2001, after input from participant evaluations, we decreased the number of classes to four consecutive Tuesday evenings at the Family Resource Center at Women and Children’s Hospital, or at our Teays Valley location,” said Kelly Gilbert, program director and certified childbirth educator.

In 2009, the needs of participants were met again when an all-day Saturday class was created. A few years later, a question was added to the FRC’s childbirth class evaluation regarding online programs.

“We are continually looking at ways to evaluate our program and improve our customer satisfaction,” Gilbert said. "Sixty-two percent of those surveyed marked that they would prefer to do an online class, so we decided it was something that we needed to do to keep up with the times."

The decision to add an online option to its existing program was solidified during a recent evening class when an educator asked the participants how they were preparing for the birth of their new babies. The overwhelming response in that class was, “Apps that could be downloaded on my phone.” That told the FRC that an online class was the obvious next move for class development.

“While I believe face-to-face education is most beneficial, the online class allows for persons who are deployed, on bed rest or unable to attend traditional classes another choice in their education process,” Gilbert said.

This $99 eClass has a 60-day passcode for continued learning that participants will be given upon registration. An added bonus to the class is a free hospital tour and educator question and answer session offered the first Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

To register for the class, visit camc.org/cbclass. For information about all of the classes offered through the CAMC Family Resource Center, visit camc.org/frc.